"Entry by water-taxi only!"

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Abel Tasman National Park
January 3rd 2008

Published: January 24th 2008

Edit Blog Post

S and K

Kristyn and Noisy

Well our New Zealand leg of our trip is all over. It was nice to arrive into Christchurch this time and not face the wrath of the immigration people unlike our last visit. Our first point of call was to be my sister's work place in Christchurch, however we both got a bit side tracked by the Speights Ale house and Kumara chips so ended up being a couple of hours late, and a little light-headed!!

We have spent almost 6 weeks at home, and time has not stood still at all. The initial problem we were facing when we arrived home was trying to organise my return visa to the UK as my old work visa became invalid when I stopped working at school. After a long and lengthy application on the net we were met with a whopping $2900 price for my defacto visa - no way were we going to pay that. After numerous calls to the UK high commission at $2.45 a minute that was dropped by half. 3 weeks later the people of the UK can't get enough and I'm allowed back into the country!!!!

While I have been working my fingers to the

Great NZ BBQ weather!!

bone washing windows at the university with Kris's Dad (for 3 weeks!!) Kristyn was becoming used to being a lady of leisure - taking coffees and shopping as a daily routine. Needless to say the dinners were on the table and my lunch was made for me!! What a good girl!

We spent Christmas in Nelson with both our families, and were able to get out and see a bit. Christmas Day was a big lunch with Kris's family, then out to my Mum's house in Mapua for a BBQ dinner. Great to see the sun and go for a walk on the beach on Christmas Day - not suck inside and 0 degreees outside like we've been used to over the past few years!!

On Boxing Day my mum and her husband took Kris and I to Awaroa Lodge in the Able Tasman National Park. A beautiful part of New Zealand, we had to take a water taxi to get there, or a couple of days hike from Kaiteriteri. It is somewhere where we will go back to in the future and go on some of the walks. Needless to say it was a tad windy, and

Bit cold in the taxi!

we got a bit wet on the journey out but Kristyn had herself all rugged up to the elements. The meal was great but we ended up being completely sodden waiting for the return water taxi.

New Years was all good. We had a few drinks at Kristyn's aunty's place and watched the police breath test people (and arrest people) outside their gate then headed down the the Ocean Lodge at Tahuna to rock in the New Years with the resident DJ. As the picture shows this place is "licenced for good times" and it ended up being exactly this.

We returned south spending time with my dad for a few days then heading to the first day of the New Zealand vs Bangladesh cricket test in Dunedin which was a good day out, even though the test ended within three days. Dunners really turned on the weather and we even managed to get sun burnt!

We said our goodbyes to everyone, had one last blow out in Christchurch with my sisters then we were on our way to Brisbane. More about that in the next installement. Hope all is well for everyone and the New Years